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Monday, February 4, 2013

From a Press Release by Family First pointing out the speed at which the Bill to redefine marriage (referred to below as the same-sex marriage bill), is much faster than other bills voted in a month before:

“Other Members’ bills are not being rammed through at such speed. Some of these bills are being considered by the same Select Committee. The Parental Leave and Employment Protection (Six Months’ Paid Leave) Amendment Bill was introduced a month beforethe same-sex marriage bill, and yet the Select Committee report is not due until August 2013. The Lobbying Disclosure Bill also had its first reading a month beforethe same-sex marriage bill, yet the report is not due until the end of July. The Members of Parliament (Remuneration and Services) Bill - a government bill – has 12 months for the Select Committee to consider.”

“Yet the same-sex marriage bill has just six months to consider 20,000-plus submissions, hear oral submissions, and report back. This is a cynical but calculated attempt to ram through a highly controversial law change without due consideration and debate,” says Mr McCoskrie.

It's because it's so controversial that the parliamentarians don't want it hanging around for too long. Otherwise it will be the background for potentially the whole of National's second term in government, and it will hurt them come election time, so they need it done and dusted as soon as possible so it disappears down the memory hole. They won't come out and say this, though.